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Law of 15 dictates that in forth position you will not open if your number of HCP and number of spades does not equal 15.

The idea is that if a Part score battle will develop controlling spades may be more important then High card points.

The law only applies to marginal hands for example 1. You should not open QTXXXXX KX KX XX Even if 7+8=15 (you would rather have all pass with that hand)2. You should open void AKXXX AKXXX XXX Even if 14+0=14 (the opening bid here is clear cut)However the Law of 15 says to open in 4th seat with AXXXX KXX KX JXX and to pass with KXX AXXXX KX JXX (The first hand has 11+5=16 the second 11+3 = 14) because if you open in the second hand you might find yourself deciding what to do over 2S by the opps (risk going down in 3H or let them make 2S)

I held that hand and thought that 12+2 = 14 and the opening here is not “So clear cut” so I decided to pass. Partner held 11 HCP and fit in hearts and we missed vulnerable 4H.

Result - 7S-1. 6S always makes.I would have led the A of spades against 7D (from AKJXX) which gives a ruff and sluff on the lead but 7D still goes down at least 1. (If I lead trump against grand slam from Qxx 7D might even make - 7 diamonds 5 hearts after 1 ruff and a club)

I argued that Partner should make a more “agressive” bid then 3H and that if he intends to psych then 3D is more effective psych then 3H.

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I do not wish to comment about the conduct and behavior of the Spanish team. I were not there and there are certain assumptions you make that I do not know how accurate they are… Also there are some conflicting reports…

But would you agree that if they are found guilty then by your methods, the USA should not be invited to international competition for some time? I did not think so.

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On this website I have seen several times complaints about Israelis/Polish/Italian players supporting their heroes and believing FS/BZ/FN to be innocent as well as accusations about the federations governing bridge in other countries. ofc I want this cleared but clearing it will take time and premature discussion does not help. (and fortunately in this case there seem to be sufficient data to test)

But on the same level as other posts I red on the website I just wanted to recommend that if the pair is indeed found guilty the USA will be banned from events for 5 years and that the heads of the ACBL and USBF will be forced to resign and that players that ever been on the same team with the pair will be tarred and feathered… (ofc I am not serious)

There has been an accusation that requires time to verify… People should do just that. IMHO at the present there is insufficient data to convict anyone but definitely sufficient data to start an investigation.

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Guys I done some stats on FS case and I must state that proving anything beyond reasonable doubt is difficult.Also look at the cheating pairs that were convicted do you believe any single one is false positive?Don't say the name if you are concerned but do you think one exist?

I think if you are playing for WBF or ACBL or EBL award you must trust these organizations enough. If you don't trust these organizations that's also fine. Don't play in their events.

I think the situation where players can do whatever they want and verdicts cannot be enforced is catastrophic I think the proposed solution of punishing the innocent is equally awful… How about actually punishing the guilty parties for a change?

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I would love to be mistaken - to the best of your knowledge did any of the convicted cheaters paid any fine or intends to do so? if not - don't you think there should be a way to enforce penalties and dither cheaters?

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Nobody! So no players will cheat.

I don't want people to risk that money or pay it I just want them concerned they may pay it if caught cheating

Right now you cheat if you get caught you stop playing bridge for few years (but I believe if you cheated you did not enjoy it anyway)

If you don't get caught you make heaps of money

Hack with the kids and all I may take cheating myselfI don't get around to play that often with day job and kids and everythingNeed to make some serious money from bridge so I can quit my day job and this cheating sounds promising!

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1. I am against the notion of penalties on unrelated players. (read Amir Levin's post) 2. I am fond of the idea of setting a personal fine on cheaters as deterrent punishment.I support forcing all players in a world championship to sign a personal honesty commitment that if a person is found cheating he will personally pay a fine of up to 1M$.3. With respect to the fining NBO in question i am wondering. Most small NBO hold almost no tournament of interest (FS probably played around 100 boards a year in IBF sanctioned events… if they don't play how can the IBF be responsible?)I tend to think that fines and penalties toward the NBO may be a step in the right direction..But they pose ethical problems. I would suggest to drop the idea or make the fine symbolic. I think ignoring the first case at the NBO level is also reasonable.

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JA : -= Thank you =-

Regarding the time cooling off - I think even if the idea is good in principle it is lacking in practice.

How is that going to be determined?

For example let say some country cheated in U16 are you going to ban them from the next U16 championship? That is stupid because the old cheaters may have grown and are now U20 so you punish almost totally unrelated team. (while allowing the team that benefited from the cheaters to play in U20)

So perhaps one cheating team affects all cheating teams? So will you ban an open team because somebody U20 cheated in some game? Think about it - you have many american bridge professionals. are you willing to disqualify the american teams from BB if some U20 or U16 guy cheated?

Beside Does seniors cheating affect open? Does open affect woman?If a country had a woman in the open team and they were found cheating can the woman (who actually benefited from the cheating) play in the woman cycle?

What actually counts? If a PAIR plays in a PAIRS championship and is found cheating does it affect the TEAM?

Does all cheating cases are treated the same?

There are not that many cases and they are all different.

Looking at the recent case if I just know of a result reported was not the same as the boards actually played but i never reported anything… Is the NBO guilt just the same?